


Plans and Machinations

by Kunstpause



Series: Ambitions [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Gen, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-16
Updated: 2016-09-16
Packaged: 2018-08-15 08:47:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8049859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kunstpause/pseuds/Kunstpause
Summary: “Just on how many of your fellow Dark Council members have you been spying on?” It could be her imagination again but he sounded almost impressed.“Why, all of them of course. How else am I supposed to make informed decisions?”





	Plans and Machinations

**Author's Note:**

> Prequel to Imperial Boredom

The long corridors were empty save for the honour guards flanking them as Shiwon went through them in long strides, trying to project a calmness that she didn’t feel. She tried to push down all the worries and her concerns. If this was going to work she would have to appear perfectly at ease and certain. Andronikos was walking next to her, speaking softly under his breath:

“Are you sure this is a smart decision Sith?” His voice was low enough that the guards shouldn’t get an earful. “I mean, you are no stranger to crazy plans, but trying to bluff the Dark Council into anything seems… unusually risky, even for you.”

Shiwon allowed herself a half smile. “I am not trying to bluff the Dark Council, just one particular member. And I don't even think it could be considered bluffing.” 

Andronikos scoffed. “Yeah, sure, just the big boss, easy as pie!” He gave her a quick nod and a smirk as they arrived at the door they were looking for. “Your funeral, I’ll wait till I hear the unmistakable sound of either lightsabers or force lightning.”

Shiwon smirked back for a second before she forced herself into a neutral expression again. “Here we go,” she mumbled as she took all her courage and knocked on the door. An emotionless “Enter” gave her permission and she slipped inside. Behind her the large door fell shut with a noise that seemed much too loud to be comfortable. 

“Darth Marr, we need to talk, it regards a rather urgent matter.” She was almost a bit surprised with how level her voice was. 

“Do we?” Marr’s voice seemed to have a touch of amusement. “I wasn’t aware that the Sphere of Ancient Sith Knowledge comes with time sensitive and pressing matters.” Or maybe Shiwon was just imagining his amusement, or rather hoping for it. 

Everything in her wanted to take a step back and mumble an apology and leave as quickly as she got here but she stood her ground. “It regards a rather urgent situation regarding the Emperor.” From the sudden shift in Marr’s posture she assumed this got his attention.

“The Emperor,” Marr said slowly, “chooses on his own time when to address us”. 

Not for the first time Shiwon wished she wore a mask as well if only so she could roll her eyes when she felt like it. 

“The Emperor,” she said almost imitating his tone, “is on Dromund Kaas.” If she thought she had Marr’s attention before she was now almost suffocating under it. “The Dark Temple, Lord Kallig’s tomb, I have…”

“Yes, I know of your connection to this particular Sith,” Marr interrupted her. “Has he informed you of this… development?” The slight impatience in his voice gave her a sudden epiphany.

“You knew already.” She stated and by his utter lack of reaction she felt confirmed. “Do you know for what reason?”

His voice sounded almost strained. “The Emperor does not always share his intentions with the Dark Council.” And this time Shiwon couldn’t completely stop the smile forming on her face. If there was one thing she recognised it was someone being not happy with a situation they are in. Exactly what she had hoped for.

“Actually, Darth Marr, I think I can help with that.” Trying not to outright grin at him she pulled out her datapad and handed it him. He looked at her like she had grown an extra head for a moment before he started to skim through all the info she had collected. From her letters with Jiune, her spies and her connections. From her research into the Foundry and her notes on Revan right down to her conclusions on what exactly their Emperor was planing. This was it, the moment that she would either start a new chapter of her life or end up as a new floor decoration in Marr’s office. He put the pad down and just looked at her. His stillness not really helping to calm her nerves.

“This could be considered treason, Nox.” His voice gave away nothing.

“I disagree, respectfully.” She straightened her back and stared back. “My loyalty is to the Empire.” A simple, yet loaded statement.

“Some might say the Emperor IS the Empire,” Marr answered in the same empty tone. Was he testing her? She wasn’t sure, but she was sure what she believed in.

“In that case perhaps it is time that he stopped.” The tension was almost unbearable by now. She made her bed, putting her cards out all for the small hope of giving her friend a chance. The silence stretched into a full minute. A minute of just looking at each other. Shiwon was well aware that if Marr decided she was a traitor she wouldn’t even make it to the door. She hadn’t even bothered of taking a lightsaber with her and she was pretty sure he noticed this fact the moment she stepped into the room. 

After what seemed like a lifetime Marr suddenly spoke again. “I agree.”

Shiwon had to fight the urge to not just simply sink onto the floor out of relief. But he wasn’t done talking apparently.

“The question at hand is why you are coming to me with this Nox? One might think bringing this matter to Darth Malgus would have been your first choice.” 

Shiwon sighed, so the questioning her motives part was not over yet. For a second she debated with herself if she should remain tactful but she might as well go all or nothing here.

“With all due respect for his accomplishments, Darth Malgus, while having many good ideas, ultimately doesn’t have the Empire’s best interests at heart.” She went over to where Marr was still looking over the information on her pad and pointed towards another document. She watched silently as he read through the additional files with interest. When he was finished he handed the pad back to her.

“Just on how many of your fellow Dark Council members have you been spying on?” It could be her imagination again but he sounded almost impressed.

“Why, all of them of course. How else am I supposed to make informed decisions?” She couldn’t really help the snarky tone that slipped into her voice. “With Imperial Intelligence in shambles, all those highly trained Agents have to report to someone, don’t you think?” 

“Indeed.” There was no mistake anymore that he was amused by now. “But you have come to me for a reason I assume?” 

“You assume correctly,” Shiwon was slowly finding her confidence again. “I have learned of a covert republic strike force with a plan to take out the Emperor while he is here.”

Marr’s head snapped upwards. “Here? At the heart of our Empire? Impossible!” He sounded almost insulted that someone would even entertain the idea.

Shiwon nodded. “Most likely, they will fail. I have the utmost confidence in the person in charge of our defences.” It could never hurt to hand out some compliments along the way even though she was rather sure that Marr would not be fooled by her. “Unless…” She trailed off and her eyes went to the datapad. 

“Unless we LET them succeed? Is that what you are suggesting?” 

“It’s like you read my mind.” She smiled and turned on the holoprojector on his desk to bring up a chart of the system. 

“Yours and mine are the only two fleets close enough in case of a surprise republic attack in the next few days.” The fleet positions were brightly illuminated in orbit of the planet. 

“I think,” Marr said very deliberately, “a tactical re-positioning should be in order. A training excercise perhaps?” With a few movements on the projector half his fleet disappeared into a sector further away. Shiwon noticed that it was just far enough to be out of direct com range. 

“Training is always important,” she agreed and focused on her own fleet. “I was deliberating sending the bulk of my fleet to Korriban, just in case anything might happen there, I mean, you never know, right?” She smiled almost sweetly at that. “Personally I was thinking of going on a research trip to Tattooine, Talos has asked repeatedly for me to have a look at some old Rakatan facility.” 

Marr nodded at her. “That sounds like a reasonable place for you to be. I think I will check up on our covert strike teams on Corellia.” 

“That Jedi strike team…” his words made her freeze for a second. Did she mess this up already? 

“Yes? What about it?” She tried desperately not to lose ll the ground she just gained.

Marr was going over her datapad again. “I assume you have confirmed they are… competent?” 

Shiwon wasn’t sure what he expected her to say. The only thing she was certain of was that ‘of course don’t worry, we are old friends from back when I was a Jedi - by the way did I ever tell you that before?’ was probably not what she should say.

“I am reasonably certain.” She said as emotionless as she could.

“Good,” came Marr’s reply. “After taking out Darth Angral and a good part of the Emperor’s guard already I should think your Jedi friend could prove useful.”

This time Shiwon froze completely. How did he know this? She had kept Jiune’s name out of every piece of information she stored anywhere. Her silence seemed to be reaction enough to him.

“Darth Nox, you are not the only one who has Imperial Intelligence on their payroll. Nor are you the only one who deemed it necessary to keep tabs on their fellow council members.” If she didn’t know better she would say Marr sounded downright cheerful.

Shiwon unfroze with the desperate need to at least say something in her defence. “Darth Marr I can assure you, regardless of my contacts, I have been completely loyal to both the Empire and the Dark Council and…” Before she could finish her explanation he interrupted her.

“I know Nox,” he simply stated. “Rest assured if you weren’t you would have been dead before you would have had time to even knock on my door.”

Shiwon looked at him flabbergasted. “But if you knew all along…”

“I had to see what you would do with the information you had, I do not choose my alliances lightly.” He handed her back the datapad and she took it absentmindedly. 

“I see.” She concluded. She couldn’t help but feel like she just had been played, regardless of getting the exact outcome that she had hoped for.

“You are getting good at this Nox, you might even be made for this.” There seemed to be a not so small amount of respect in his words. “When you are back from your field trip we should talk.”

All she could do was simply nod. “Talk. About what exactly?” She asked bluntly. When she looked up at where his face was hidden she could swear she knew for certain he was smiling.

“About how we will reshape the Empire of course, I trust you will have some ideas to contribute for that.”


End file.
